Written Answers Monday 22 August 2005

Scottish Executive

Apprenticeships

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the commitment in the Partnership Agreement to increase the apprenticeship programme to 30,000 places, how many places there have been on the apprenticeship programme in each of the last three years.

Allan Wilson: 1. The Partnership Agreement commitment of achieving 30,000 modern apprenticeship (MA) places by 2006, was achieved two years early and announced in May 2004.

  2. The number of MAs in training at the end of March in the last three years was:

  2003 – 27,956

  2004 – 31,392

  2005 – 33,695.

  3. Details of the day-to-day management of the programme is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Although current information on the number of trainees is not held centrally, this would be available from the enterprise networks.

Carers

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the recent changes to Scottish ministers will have on its plans to support young carers.

Lewis Macdonald: The Executive remains committed to implementing its Carers Strategy. Under that strategy a number of steps has been taken to help improve the support available to young carers. The number of projects supporting young carers has risen from 23 in 1999 to 52 in 2004. I recognise, however, that more needs to be done to meet the needs of young carers. The recommendations of the Care 21 futures exercise on unpaid care in Scotland, due at the end of September, will inform policy decisions relating to young carers. I will be discussing that and other issues with carers’ representatives in October.

Civic Forum

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any development on funding for the Scottish Civic Forum.

George Lyon: The Executive’s position remains as set out by Tavish Scott on 24 February 2005 during the member’s business debate on motion S2M-2384 ( Official Report col. 14853).

Council Tax

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have received council tax benefit in each year since 1999 to date, broken down by local authority area.

George Lyon: The number of recipients of council tax benefit in each local authority in Scotland are published quarterly by the Department for Work and Pensions. These are available from February 2002 onwards from the DWP statistics website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/hbctb.asp .

  Figures from before February 2002 are not held available at local authority level.

Dentistry

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of illness have been attributed to an infection contracted by a patient as a result of their treatment by a mobile dental unit in (a) Orkney and (b) the rest of Scotland, in each of the last 10 years for which records are available.

Lewis Macdonald: No information is collected centrally on illness attributed to infections acquired in mobile dental units.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last discussed at (a) ministerial level and (b) official level the import of illegal drugs into Scotland with representatives of (i) the Dutch Government, (ii) the UK Government, (iii) the Irish Government, (iv) the United States Government, (v) the European Union, (vi) the United Nations and (vii) NATO.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive engages in a number of ways with the UK Government to tackle the trafficking of illegal drugs including representation on the Home Office led Drug Strategy Delivery Group which last met on 5 July 2005. Its remit involves working with foreign governments and other organisations to identify ways to reduce illegal drug supply activity.

  At an operational level, the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency works closely with a large number of partners, including Scottish police forces and law enforcement agencies across the UK and abroad, to combat the threat from all forms of serious crime, including the importation of illegal drugs to Scotland.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of (a) carbon dioxide and (b) greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland are and how these compare with such emissions in England, Wales and each EU member state.

Ross Finnie: Scottish greenhouse gas emissions data are available in Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1999-2002,  a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 34590) and is also available on the Executive’s climate change website at www.scotland.gov.uk/climatechange . The inventory enables a direct comparison with emissions in England and Wales. The inventory covering the period 1990 to 2003 is currently in draft and is expected to be available soon.

  Emissions data for each EU member state is available from the European Environment Agency in the report entitled Annual European Community greenhouse gas inventory 1990-2003 and inventory report 2005. An equivalent report is available for the period 1990-2002. Both reports are available on the European Environment Agency website at www.eea.eu.int. Data drawn from different publications may not be directly comparable and care should be taken in making comparisons.

Environment

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister or official will be attending the one-day conference on Developing Scottish Land Remediation organised by the Environmental Industries Commission and IKM Consulting on 20 September 2005 and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Ross Finnie: The Executive is keen to engage in dialogue with the environment industry about the issues being discussed at the conference and their wider impact on regeneration. These issues engage the interests of a range of Executive Departments. Officials from the Development Department and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be participating in the conference.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards have now put in place a falls assessment service, as recommended in the report, Adding Life To Years , and, if not, which NHS boards have still to implement such a service.

Lewis Macdonald: We do not routinely collect information about falls assessment services operated by individual NHS boards.

Meat Industry

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be raised from farmers to fund the Beef National Envelope scheme; what the administration costs of the scheme will be, and how much will be paid to farmers under the scheme.

Ross Finnie: Approximately £18 million will be raised to fund the Scottish Beef Calf Scheme. The scheme is in its first year and the administrative costs will be largely dependent on the number and complexity of claims submitted: costs of £0.5 million are currently anticipated. Administration costs are met from the administration budget of the Scottish Executive and not from the monies raised from the Single Farm Payment. The whole sum raised will be paid to farmers and the payments will be modulated as are all Pillar I payments. Actual payments will depend on the numbers of animals claimed but are estimated at £70 per head for the first 10 eligible calves and £35 per head for each subsequent eligible calf.

Ministerial Correspondence

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time was to letters received by its Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department in each of the last 12 months.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information held centrally by the Ministerial Correspondence Unit provides average response times by working days for letters addressed to ministers which ministers or officials have replied to. A breakdown for each of the last 12 months for the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department is shown in the following table.

  

 
Replies by Ministers
Replies by Officials


Average Response Time in Working Days


2005
 
 


 June 
15.5
11.2


 May 
17.8
1.7


 April 
20.3
2.3


 March 
23.2
11.4


 February 
23.6
22.5


 January 
22.6
14.9


2004
 
 


 December
24.2
8.8


 November 
26.6
10.2


 October 
24.2
13.3


 September 
6.0
18.0


 August 
7.9
21.6


 July 
5.1
21.2

Ministerial Correspondence

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average response time was to letters received by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department in each of the last 12 months.

Ms Margaret Curran: Information held centrally by the Ministerial Correspondence Unit provides average response times by working days for letters addressed to ministers which ministers or officials have replied to. A breakdown for each of the last 12 months for Environmental and Rural Affairs Department is shown in the following table.

  

 
Replies by Ministers
Replies by Officials


Average Response Time in Working Days


2005
 
 


 June 
11.9
9.9


 May 
13.2
11.8


 April 
14.7
8.6


 March 
18.0
11.7


 February 
17.2
11.2


 January 
18.1
13.9


2004
 
 


 December
15.9
10.8


 November 
20.0
11.9


 October 
16.8
13.9


 September 
25.5
9.7


 August 
16.1
12.3


 July 
15.2
10.1

NHS Waiting Times

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times have been from GP referral to first appointment with a consultant psychiatrist in each NHS board area in each quarter since 1999.

Mr Andy Kerr: The median waiting times for a first out-patient appointment with a consultant in the speciality of psychiatry, following referral by a general medical practitioner, in each quarter since 31 March 1999, by NHS board area of residence, are given in the table. The figures for the quarters ended 31 March 2005 and 30 June 2005 are provisional.

  The traditional model of general practitioner referral to a consultant is changing as community mental health services move to operate on a team basis where intake meetings assess referrals from general practitioners and others and allocate care responses from the team member with the skills to meet the assessed needs. This combines with a move for consultants to spend more time supporting other team members while also responding to emergencies and urgent referrals.

  NHSScotland: Median Waiting Times For A First Out-Patient Appointment With a Consultant in the Specialty of Psychiatry, Following Referral by a General Medical Practitioner, by NHS Board of Residence. By Quarter, From 31 March 1999 to 30 June 2005.

  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


 
Quarter Ended
31 March 1999
Quarter Ended
30 June 1999
Quarter Ended
30 September 1999
Quarter Ended
31 December 1999


Argyll and Clyde
32
36
40
35


Ayrshire and Arran
17
18
14
18


Borders
14
14
14
14


Dumfries and Galloway
21
20
18
17


Fife
25
22
21
18


Forth Valley
19
20
21
19


Grampian
22
24
21
21


Greater Glasgow
29
28
28
26


Highland
25
23
18
19


Lanarkshire
44
42
41
42


Lothian
16
21
20
22


Orkney
5*
15*
8*
11*


Shetland
23*
44*
19*
19*


Tayside
16
15
16
14


Western Isles
50*
30*
37*
35*


NHSScotland
24
23
23
22



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2000
Quarter Ended
30 June 2000
Quarter Ended
30 September 2000
Quarter Ended
31 December 2000


Argyll and Clyde
32
32
36
33


Ayrshire and Arran
18
22
23
23


Borders
16
14
15
15


Dumfries and Galloway
21
19
20
14


Fife
21
21
24
20


Forth Valley
19
21
21
20


Grampian
19
21
18
22


Greater Glasgow
28
29
30
33


Highland
14
23
17
19


Lanarkshire
43
53
52
41


Lothian
24
22
22
26


Orkney
6*
16*
34*
8*


Shetland
13*
27*
38*
30*


Tayside
19
22
20
17


Western Isles
23*
48*
39*
32*


NHSScotland
25
27
26
26



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2001
Quarter Ended
30 June 2001
Quarter Ended
30 September 2001
Quarter Ended
31 December 2001


Argyll and Clyde
36
35
34
35


Ayrshire and Arran
21
26
28
25


Borders
19
18
19
14


Dumfries and Galloway
25
26
25
22


Fife
21
23
21
20


Forth Valley
22
22
19
21


Grampian
25
23
26
26


Greater Glasgow
30
31
29
27


Highland
22
22
20
18


Lanarkshire
43
46
46
43


Lothian
28
27
22
27


Orkney
27*
x
19*
18*


Shetland
37*
45*
44*
28*


Tayside
24
25
24
22


Western Isles
36*
29*
37*
35*


NHSScotland
28
28
27
26



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2002
Quarter Ended
30 June 2002
Quarter Ended
30 September 2002
Quarter Ended
31 December 2002


Argyll and Clyde
35
34
35
36


Ayrshire and Arran
22
22
26
26


Borders
20
24
18
21


Dumfries and Galloway
32
28
26
x


Fife
26
27
31
27


Forth Valley
28
33
35
30


Grampian
31
27
67
64


Greater Glasgow
35
33
32
30


Highland
15
21
20
20


Lanarkshire
47
49
83
56


Lothian
28
18
16
19


Orkney
8*
19*
x
x


Shetland
33*
42*
34*
35*


Tayside
24
29
27
26


Western Isles
33*
35*
60*
39*


NHSScotland
29
29
29
28



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2003
Quarter Ended
30 June 2003
Quarter Ended
30 September 2003
Quarter Ended
31 December 2003


Argyll and Clyde
36
35
38
36


Ayrshire and Arran
25
28
33
27


Borders
21
22
22
21


Dumfries and Galloway
x
x
x
x


Fife
28
24
24
25


Forth Valley
39
39
32
28


Grampian
67
74
62
40


Greater Glasgow
35
35
37
34


Highland
16
13
21
23


Lanarkshire
60
57
54
45


Lothian
21
18
18
20


Orkney
x
11*
38*
x


Shetland
36*
34*
40*
31*


Tayside
30
28
27
28


Western Isles
30*
43*
45*
52*


NHSScotland
31
30
30
29



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2004
Quarter Ended
30 June 2004
Quarter Ended
30 September 2004
Quarter Ended
31 December 2004


Argyll and Clyde
35
34
35
31


Ayrshire and Arran
26
22
30
31


Borders
26
21
22
21


Dumfries and Galloway
x
x
x
x


Fife
22
24
22
21


Forth Valley
29*
x
x
x


Grampian
29*
26*
17*
33*


Greater Glasgow
35
38
37
29


Highland
24
27
24
30


Lanarkshire
40
64
43
52*


Lothian
19
18
19
21


Orkney
x
x
x
x


Shetland
35*
31*
38*
40*


Tayside
27
29
29
30


Western Isles
67*
55*
63*
45*


NHSScotland
29
29
30
28



  

NHS Board
Median Wait (Days)


Quarter Ended
31 March 2005 P
Quarter Ended
30 June 2005P


Argyll and Clyde
34
33


Ayrshire and Arran
39
40


Borders
25
26


Dumfries and Galloway
x
x


Fife
23
21


Forth Valley
x
x


Grampian
36*
x


Greater Glasgow
35
43


Highland
39
40


Lanarkshire
56*
x


Lothian
20
22


Orkney
x
x


Shetland
29*
27*


Tayside
37
30


Western Isles
54*
37*


NHSScotland
33
31



  Source: ISD Scotland, SMR00.

  PProvisional.

  Notes:

  1. Figures denoted by an "x" are not shown as the number of appointment records is very small (or nil) and the presentation of the median is potentially misleading.

  2. Figures appended with an "*" should be treated with caution as they are derived from a possible unrepresentatively small number of appointments (less than 50).

National Health Service

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances of fraud within the NHS have been detected in each of the last eight years, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) type of fraud.

Lewis Macdonald: The main aim of the Executive’s NHS counter fraud policy is to seek to minimise losses to the NHS in the first instance by deterring potential fraudsters, rather than attempt to recoup losses by detection/investigation after fraud against the NHS has taken place.

  The information requested is detailed in the tables: Summary of Instances of Theft, Fraud, Arson and Wilful Damage Reported to the Scottish Executive by NHS Boards for Financial Years 1999-2000 to 2004-2005 and Summary of Numbers of Cases Concerning Fraud and Other Irregularities Where Investigations Have been Carried Out by NHSScotland Counter Fraud Services from 1 August 2000-31 March 2001 to 1 April 2004-31 March 2005, copies of which have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. numbers 37252 and 37253).